Civil liberties campaigners say a lack of confidence in a review of the country's spy agencies has led them to launch their own.

The Council of Civil Liberties is launching a People's Review of the Intelligence Services in Wellington tonight.

It's an alternative to the Government-commissioned independent review.

Chairman Thomas Beagle argues that without any public meetings scheduled, the official review is just a token gesture.

He said the government have made "no real attempt to engage people."

"It really does just seem like a government rubber stamping exercise."

The alternative review will hold public meetings on the "chilling effect" of surveillance on political activity.

Former deputy prime minister Michael Cullen is leading the independent review into the country's spy agencies.

But he told TVNZ's Q&A programme New Zealanders shouldn't expect their emails to be protected from surveillance.

Mr Beagle said with that attitude, he's unlikely to delve into the the chilling effect of spying.

"People being spied on, and people feeling they're being spied on, actually stops people getting involved in political activity."